ICONIC FORMER GERMAN star Franz Beckenbauer looks set to be banned from football-related activities by Fifa after the world governing body revealed a formal investigation into the 70-year-old has been passed to the Adjudicatory Committee.

Earlier today, Fifa’s Ethics Committee released a statement and revealed those currently under investigation while also giving an update on the state of play regarding duo Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini, as well as former General Secretary Jerome Valcke.

Fifa said they expect a decision to be made on the pair within their 90-day suspension period (which began 8th October).

The Ethics Committee referenced a host of names that are under investigation for ‘suspicion of infringements of the Fifa Code of Ethics’:

Worawi Makudi (president of Football Association of Thailand, currently serving 90-day suspension)
Jeffrey Webb (former Fifa vice-president and former CONCACAF president)
Ricardo Teixeira (former head of Brazilian Football Confederation and former member of Fifa executive committee)
Amos Adamu (former Fifa executive committee member)
Eugenio Figueredo (former Fifa vice-president and former head of Uruguayan Football Association)
Nicolas Leoz (former president of CONMEBOL and former member of Fifa executive committee)

But Fifa have also revealed that cases against Beckenbauer and Angel Maria Villar Llona have been pursued and are now in front of Adjudicatory Committee – essentially, for them to deliver a punishment.

Angel Maria Villa Llona sitting alongside Michel Platini back in July. Ivan Sekretarev / AP/Press Association Images Ivan Sekretarev / AP/Press Association Images / AP/Press Association Images

Beckenbauer has been suspended before by Fifa – in June of last year – for failing to cooperate with an inquiry by Michael Garcia into the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. The ban was quickly lifted once Beckenbauer began to talk.

Beckenbauer was head of the organising committee for the 2006 World Cup recently rubbished a recent report carried by Der Spiegel that a slush fund had been set up to buy votes and ensure Germany won the bid for the tournament.

Meanwhile Villar Llona, a Fifa vice-president and head of the Spanish football federation – has also had to contend with rumours pertaining to his role in the now-infamous World Cup bidding process.

With Villar Llona’s likely punishment, it means Europe’s governing body will have their two most senior officials (him and Platini) both serving suspensions.

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